Refrigerator box



Fb.25, 1930. J ,JANKUS 1 ,748,716

REFRIGERATOR BOX Filed March 17, 1926 s Shets-Sheet 1 v v IVENTOR. v Jaak @WZ fi/zhw 4 33/ Ha WO I Feb. 25, 1930. J, c, JANKUS 1,748,716

REFRIGERATOR BOX Filed March 17, 1926 s Sheets-Sheet 2 awvewbo'c Jack CarL/anlws @311 170 Gummy- Feb. 25, 1930.; J. c. JANKUS REFRIGERATOR BOX Filed March 17. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 awoamboz Jam 1 Q z/"Z/a/ZKMS 351;; Xvi/a awe 144% Patented F eb. 25, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JACK CARL JANKUS, OF SORANTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO GAS REFRIGERA- TION CORPORATION, OF DOVER, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE I REFRIGERATOR BOX Application filed March 17. 1926. Serial No. 95,189.

I This invention is an improvement in re- 7 frigerators, and relates more particularly to the construction and insulation of the walls of Fig. 1, certain of the and the means for supporting the ice. So far as the wall construction is concerned, the'invention is equally applicable to refrigerators of the type in which the cooling is done by a cooling coil, instead of ice.

One object of the present invention is to more effectively seal the insulation so that moisture cannot gain access thereto, as for instance by air currents resulting fromtemperature changes within the wall. In many respects the wall construction is very similar to that disclosed and claimed in my prior an evaporator, or other means,

'copending application, Serial No. 747,768,

' chamber to which access mayfbe readily filed November 4th, l924.'

A further object ofthe present invention is to so design and constructv the parts within the refrigerator that they maybe readily removed for cleaning and, when in place, provide adequate means for permitting and con-' trolling the circulation of air to and f the main provision compartment.

In the preferred form of my improved refrigerator, theice box is at one side of the main chamber and as an important feature, I provide a partition spaced from the ice receiver to control the air circulation, this. partition being so designed and supported that it may be easily removed. I I

As another important feature, I provide an ice receiver which has sidewalls to protect the lining of the refrigerator from 0011- rom tact with the ice, and to provide air circulating space, and this receivergis also readily removable.

In my improved construction the 'removal of the inner parts leaves a free and open gained, and which may beeasily andthoroughly cleaned. v a In the accompanying drawingsqhave il lustrated merely one embodiment of my invention, although-, it ;"will be evident that other-constructions might'be designed with in the scope of my invention as defined in the I appended claims. In thesedrawings:

of Fig.

moved from the refrigerator. I

Flg. 6 is a vertical section on the line 66 of Fig. 5. 7

Fig. 7 is a perspective View of the ice support within the receiver.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged. sectional detail on the line 88 of Fig. 3.-

a V Fig. 9 is a horizontal section on the line 9-'9 of Fig. 1, but on a very much smaller scale.

Fig.1 l0 is a front view of the refrigerator lining, certain parts being broken away, and the entire lining being shown] on the same scale as in Fig. 9, and v Fig. 11 is a detail of-one of the shelfsupports.

In my improved construction the walls inelude angle irons 15 which extend'along the four edges of the top and bottom, and also extendvertically along the two back corners of the casing. These angle irons maybe connected: together at their corners to form a skeleton frame, or they may merely connect with each other at the corners, or in some constructions, may be made shorter so that they do not connect. The angle irons may face either outwardly or inwardly, as 'disclosed in my copending applicationabove referred to, but are illustrated as having theirflanges' extending outwardly. Between theflanges of each angle iron 'is' mounted a strip 16 which may be ofwood or other suitable :non-conducting material, thesestrips being, of such dimensions thatthey. project beyond the edges of the flanges. Secured to" these angle irons'are the outer layers or boards 17 of the walls. The connecting :bolts extend through thestrips 16 into the angle irons, so that the parts arerigidly connected together, but" the outer boards or panels 17 are out of direct contact with the metal angle irons.

The lining 18 of the refrigerator is formed of sheet metal with the top, bottom and sides welded or integrally connected so as to form a boX with an open front of substantially the size of the front of the entire refrigerator. The sheet metal at the front edges of the top, bottom and side walls, is provided with outwardly extending flanges 19 which are secured to the inner surface of a front door frame 20. This door frame is secured to the angle irons in the same way as are the outer panels 17, and is preferably of wood with openings of the proper size for the doors. The flanges 19 are connected tothe door frame 20 by wood screws or other suitable connecting means, and some sealing 'inaterial, such for instance as white lead isemployed between the two parts so as to form a substantially gastight joint. Thus, variation in air pressure in the refrigerator, due 'to'sudden opening or closing of the door, or to any other cause, cannot force air into or draw air out of the space within the walls outside of the lining,and thus moisture from the interior of the refrigerator cannot gain access to the wall packing. The lining is of such dimensions in respect to the refrigeratorbox, and the angle irons, that the lining is spaced from and entirely out of contact with the angle irons. Thus there is no metal -to-rhetal heat conduc tion from the lining to the exterior of the refrigerator. Between the "lining 18 and the outer panels or wall layers 17, is the packing 21 which may be of any suitable material. The lining is supported whollybythe door frame 20, and by the packing 21, sothat there can be no direct heat conduction to the'lining except at the very narrow edgesaround the doors.

The doors are preferably formed of an outer body section 22 with a sheet metal lining 23 spaced therefromto receive a layer of insulating packing 24. The marginal-flanges 25 of the lining are directlyconnected to the door about the periphery of the latter,'and over these flanges are strips 26 provided with grooves which receive packing strips 27. These packing strips are preferably of rubber tubing, and project beyond the surface of the strips 26 so that when the door is closedthey are compressed against the outer surface of the door frame 20.

Within the refrigerator'there is mounted a vertical partition 28 which separates the interior into two main chambers,29 and 30. This partition 28 is preferably formed as a'thin sheet metal. box, that is, it has opposite was 31 ofsheet metal withintermediate packing 32. The partition terminates a short distance beneath the top of the refrigerator so that air may cross from the provision compartment to the ice compartment 29, 'andlikewise terminates a short distance above the bottom of the inexpensive design.

that the partition may be moved vertically between the pins, but cannot be moved laterally to any appreciable extent. Adjacent to the lower part of the refrigerator there are two similar-pairs of-pins 35 for guiding the lower part of the partition, and between and below these pins 35 are a pair of'pins 36 which act as the supports for the weight of the partition. Tn placing the partition in position, it is moved upwardly between the p1ns'33 until this lower end is above the'pins 35. The lower.

end is then moved laterally to a position be tween the pins 35, and the partition is lowered until it rests on'the pins 36. Thus the partition when in place is rigidly supported against any lateral or swinging movement,'-andcannot be moved except by a bodily lifting upwardly from between the'pins 35. No tools are required for removing or inserting it,"and the retainingmembers are of very simple and The partition, together with one side wall of the refrigerator, serve to support'the various shelves which may. be employed for the provisions. The shelf supports are in the form of pins 36, one of which is'shown in Fig. 11. Each pin is a short metal rod with a reduced threaded end projecting through the lining 18 or the sheet metal 31, as the case may be, and locked in place by a nuton itsinner end. l Vhen these nuts aretightened and embedded in the insulation at'the time the refrigerator is assembled, it will be evident'that the shelf supports are rigidly and permanently secured in place.

Within the ice compartment 29 there is provided an ice receiver which maybe formed of sheet metal with side walls 38 and a rear wall 39. The ice receiver is open at the front and at the top, and the three sheet metal walls This frame preferably has a in flange 4-2, and has at its outer edg eupe standing flanges 1-3 to which the walls 38 and 39 are secured. Along one side it maylhave a front flange 4.3 which'may engage with a transverse member or mullion 1% of the door ceiver. The receiver is supported by a pair of metal cleats45, which are secured tothe inner surface of the lining 18'a't the back of the refrigerator, andto the cross member 14 of the door frame. The lining at'the rear if desired. As shown, the outer surface .are connected to a metal frame 40 at their lower edges. central opening .41 encircled by an upstandalL) 'may be reinforced to better support the cleat of the lining has a reinforcing strip 46 so that the screws or rivets which hold the cleat 45 in position extend through into this re- 7 inforcing strip, rather than merely into the sheet metal of the back. This reinforcing strip may be omitted if desired, in which case washers and nuts of adequate size may be employed on the attaching screws for the cleat 45. Within the ice receiver is an ice support which may be constructed substantially as shown in Fig. 7 This is in the form of a table 47 with depending flanges 48 along its edges, which flanges have recesses or openings'49, for the flow of air. The flanges 48 may rest directly upon the metal frame 40 in the annular channel between the flanges 42 and 43. The cold air from the ice may flow through the openings 49 and thence through the opening 41 while the drip water from the ice will collect in the annular groove or channel outside of the flange 42, and may be drawn off through a drain pipe connected to an opening 50. The ice receiver being open at the front, permits ice to be very easily placed therein, but the side and back walls prevent the lining from being dented or injured by the careless dumping of heavy ice into the receiver. The walls 38 and 39 are spaced from the lining of the refrigerator so that there is a thin air space between. Thiskeeps the ice out of direct contact with the lining,

,and prevents the direct transmission of heat through the walls to the ice.

"partment, one beneath the ice compartment In the specific construction illustrated there are three doors, one for the ice comand one at one side thereof. It will, of course,

' be evident that the compartment at the side of the ice compartment may be eliminated and only the space beneath the ice compartment employed for storage purposes, or, on

' the other hand, the compartment beneath the ice compartment might be eliminated. It

will also be evident that the main compartment at one side of the ice compartment may have a horizontal cross mullion dividing it in two, so that'there would be a door above and provided with sealing strips on the outand one below.

In the construction illustrated the angle irons 15 have their flanges turned outwardly. Obviously, they might be turned inwardly side of the angles as shown in my Patent No.

primarily to form an airtight seal, as they 1,646,616, issued Oct. 25, 1927 on my copending application. The wooden strips 16 serve wood panels are forced into contact therefrom the front to the rear thereof, guide pins carried by the lining upon opposite sides of said partition for engaging with the latter and preventing lateral movement thereof, and a supporting member also carried by said casing and upon which said partition rests, said partition being removable from the casing upon the vertical movement of the partition to bring the lower end thereof above the lower guiding pins. 7

2. A refrigerator casing having a removable vertically disposed partition extending from the front to the rear thereof, a pair of guide pins upon opposite sides of the partition adjacentto the upper end thereof, a similar pair of guide pins upon opposite sides ofv the partition adjacent to the lower end thereof, and means below and between said last mentioned pins for supporting the weight of the partition.

3. A refrigerator having a removable vertically disposed imperforate partition extending from the front to therear thereof and spaced from the top, and an ice receiver supported at one side of said partition independently thereof and having an imperforate side wall spaced from and substantially parallel to said partition, said partition on the side thereof opposite to said ice receiver being provided with removable shelf supports.

4. A refrigerator having a removable vertically disposed imperforate partition extend-' ing from the front to the rear thereof and spaced from the top of-said'partition, includ-- ing a layer of insulating material and having upon one side thereof-a series of shelf su ports, and an ice receiver at the opposite si e of said partition and having a side wall parallel to and spaced from said partition to form an air passage.

Signed at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings with. In this way a more effective seal is formed than if the panels were in directcontact with the metal of the iron channels.

Having thus described my invention, what I I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is 1. A refrigerator casing having a remov- V able vertically disposed partition extending 

